Who’s Responsible?

 

Who's Responsible? - Not Me

Our entire congregation visited the Trinity Presbyterian Church where Rev Stan Henderson is the Pastor. The combined choir was joyous as they sang several numbers. 

I took notes from Pastor Stan as he read from Matthew 12:28-35 and also from Micah 6:6-8.

The new testament setting was as Jesus was being asked questions and his answer quieted those seeking to entrap Him.

Matthew 12:29-31  Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

In this world there are many seeking to blame someone else.  Actually we should have no excuses.  At times we need to face up and say “The buck stops here,” and to accept the consequences of our actions.

When things go wrong in Politics, the blame game begins.  It is helpful if they have used a “Task force,” then the politician can point to the team and say it is their fault.

If something is not our fault, we may not be responsible.

We need to teach our children to be responsible citizens, to others and to the family.  Our children being taugh to respect those in authority should be a given.

Responsibility begins with our relationship to God. 

Hold on to Godly precepts before you can begin to solve problems.

The children of Israel were being led out of Egypt by Moses, but they had been in a godless society for a long time.  Old habits are difficult to break.

While Moses tarried on the mountain, the people begged Aaron to make them a god so they could worship.  They desired to worship something they were used to.  So Aaron melted their gold jewelry and created a molten calf.  Upon his return Moses threw down the tablets of stone and angrily requested an answer.

Aaron blamed the people, and said when he melted the gold; low and behold out came a golden calf.  Now what do you think of that excuse?

We must recognize our need before God.  Our hands and hearts are filled with his provision.  Responsibility means to be responsible for ourselves, our lives to fill our needs. 

We are responsible to ourselves and also to others. 

When we are accused rightly or wrongly, we feel bad, embarrassed, and sometimes angry.

I am responsible for my emotions and this is were maturity begins.

We are responsible for our happiness.  We should not be looking for someone else to keep us happy.

I don’t want others to decide my response.  If they are mean and ill tempered, that is their problem.

God asked Cain, “Where is your brother.”  He answered, “Am I my brother’s keeper.”

The answer is YES.

The French rescued 5000 Jews and when asked why they did such a thing, they answered, “Because they needed our help.”

What does the Lord require of me? 

The answer is; To do justly; beyond our own needs.

God calls us to act responsible.